It's Complicated
by sarkywoman
Summary: The gang decide to talk about their personal problems and growing estrangement.


It's Complicated  
  
NOTES: This takes place as an alternate `Yoko Factor'.  
  
SUMMARY: The gang decide to talk about their personal problems and growing estrangement.  
  
PAIRING: W/T really, I guess, but no slash. I think. It isn't about them, it's about everyone.  
  
DISCLAIMER: If any of this was mine, I'd have a party. No party, no ownership. Do you see any party balloons?  
  
RATING: PG  
  
************  
  
Willow sighed and looked up. This was hard. She had been practising for ages, but it still didn't sound right. Buffy, Giles and Xander were her best friends, she should have told them about this earlier. She decided that they were still her best friends, despite the way they had all grown apart that year.  
  
"Hi Buffy, Xander, Giles. I, erm, kind of have some news. You see, it's sort about Tara and me. Well okay, not sort of, it is about Tara and me. It's just, um, we're more than friends. I don't know how you feel about that..."  
  
Stupid, just stupid. Did it even matter what they thought? It was her life, damn it! None of this was even up to them, so they can take her friendship or leave it, and she was going to tell them so.  
  
"But I don't care. It's not up to you who I date, and God knows you've kept things from me before, so there!"  
  
Wait a second, was that too punchy? They were probably still reeling from her gay scandal. Not that there was anything scandalous about it, but who knew how they would react?  
  
What if Giles was disappointed? What if Buffy was disgusted? What if Xander was way too interested? She sighed and tried again.  
  
"I mean I understand that this is a shock to you all, and I hope I'm not being too weird about it myself. But you know, it's weird to me too. I'm still the same person, I just have a girlfriend. There are millions like me in the world, so don't start acting differently towards me `cos you think I'm a freak."  
  
Tara wrapped her arms around Willow's shoulders from behind and kissed her earlobe.  
  
"They won't think you're a freak. They're your friends, they love you."  
  
Willow sighed.  
  
"I know, I'm just nervous. But then, I think everyone has news, that's why they've called a Scooby meeting. I don't think there's any supernatural funk out there right now, everyone just has something to say."  
  
****************  
  
Giles stood up and looked at the expectant faces around him.  
  
"My name is Rupert Giles, and I'm an alcoholic. I have attended this meeting for three weeks now, and I am preparing to tell my friends. They are quite younger than me, and I have feared that they would not understand what I am going through right now. This is also the first time I have spoken in front of this group."  
  
The group nodded in understanding. The co-ordinator of the group raised her hand.  
  
"Why don't you tell us how your habit was started, Rupert?"  
  
"Oh please call me Giles. I can barely think of an answer to that question, it seemed to just appear out of the blue. I had been drinking for a while already, a glass here, a glass there..."  
  
There were a few murmurs of agreement from the group around him.  
  
"Then, before I knew it, I was getting through three bottles a day."  
  
The co-ordinator nodded.  
  
"What made you take action?"  
  
"Well, I guess it was when I realised that I was dying for a drink at breakfast. That was when I noticed that I did, in fact, have an alcohol problem."  
  
The co-ordinator nodded.  
  
"You have done the right thing in coming to see us like this. We can help you. I'm sure that your friends will be just as understanding, and will probably wish to help you with your problem. You have to let people in before you can let alcohol out."  
  
The group applauded as Giles sat down in his chair.  
  
***************************  
  
Buffy paced up and down. "It wasn't like we really liked him anyway..."  
  
He looked at her watch and swore. She only had five minutes to get round to Giles' house and tell them of what she had done.  
  
**********************************  
  
Xander stood outside the door ready to knock, then decided against it. He pulled a container out of his pocket and got a couple of pills out of it. He took them, then a deep breath, and knocked on the door. Giles opened it. "Ah, Xander. I don't suppose you've seen Buffy on your travels?"  
  
"No, I..."  
  
"Here I am!"  
  
She ran up the path and went into Giles' house. Xander sighed and followed her, letting Giles close the door after him.  
  
Giles stood up in front of them all. "As I'm sure we've guessed, we have each had changes in our lives recently, and I think that we should try to keep each other informed about ourselves. That is what this meeting is for. Who would like to go first?"  
  
Willow waved her hand in the air. "Me! Before I lose my bottle!"  
  
Giles sat down and she stood up. "Right. I'm just gonna blurt this out, okay?"  
  
Everyone nodded. Giles took a sip of orange juice. Willow took a deep breath. "I'm a lesbian and I'm dating Tara!"  
  
Giles spat his orange juice across the room. Buffy just stared and Xander burst into hysterics. "Oh my God! The look on Giles' face!" He carried on laughing and holding his sides.  
  
Willow looked at Giles, who was mopping up his mess. "Are you alright with this?"  
  
"Of course. I'm sure you noticed I was surprised, but I am absolutely fine with your sexuality."  
  
"Buffy?"  
  
"You...you and...but you...that's not...give me time."  
  
"Okay. Xander?"  
  
Xander was still laughing, but he tried to stop. "Oh yeah Will, that's great. As long as you're happy."  
  
"Thank you. That's all I have to say."  
  
"Thank God," murmured Buffy, as Willow sat down.  
  
Giles stood up. "I want to tell you something about myself that I am not proud of. It's taken me a while to get the courage, but I have to say it. I'm an alcoholic."  
  
At first there was silence. Then Xander began to clap, then Buffy, then Willow. Buffy stood up and put a hand on his shoulder. "Now we can help by pouring it all down the sink."  
  
"Or selling it," said Xander. Then he thought. "Or drinking it."  
  
Giles smiled. "Thank you. I have decided to limit myself to one drink on a special occasion." He sat down.  
  
Buffy stayed standing. "Okay, I staked Spike the other day. It's no big deal, but I lost my self-control so I have enrolled in an anger management class. Xan? Anything to say?"  
  
Xander stayed sitting. "Alright, I'll tell you guys. But don't make a fuss okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Promise."  
  
"I'm suicidal. These pills," he got them out of his pocket, "are anti-depressants. I take sleeping pills to sleep as well."  
  
Everyone gaped at him. Then Willow went over to him and put her hand on his. "You haven't tried to kill yourself have you?"  
  
"Twice."  
  
His friends gasped. Willow sighed. "Oh Xander, why didn't you tell us you were depressed?"  
  
"Cos all you guys were busy."  
  
"We're never too busy for you. Remember that."  
  
"I called for you one time and you told me to get lost."  
  
"When? Oh I remember now. That didn't upset you too bad did it? I had severe PMT."  
  
"I tried to kill myself."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"That's okay. I go to therapy as well, so I should be fine soon. It's just you guys tend to get all whiney if I don't let you know stuff."  
  
"Thank you for telling us. You know, I think we've really cleared the tension between us recently."  
  
"Yeah. I'm glad we could sort it all out before we had a row."  
  
THE END 


End file.
